Two historic locos leave York for last time ahead of Great Goodbye in Shildon

TWO guest locomotives were given an all-American farewell by cheerleaders as they left York for the last time.

Dwight D. Eisenhower and Dominion of Canada left the National Railway Museum today (Wednesday, January 22) for the Great Goodbye in Shildon, County Durham – the last chance to see Mallard and its five surviving sisters together.

A display team from the University of York’s York Hornets squad gave team Mallard a rousing cheer on the final day visitors could see the repatriated locomotives in the York museum’s Great Hall.

Anthony Coulls, senior curator of Railway Vehicles said: “We are saying a fond farewell to Dwight and Dominion ahead of next month’s event at Barrow Hill and our Mallard 75 February half term showcase of all six streamlined Gresley giants, some in steam at Locomotion, the National Railway Museum at Shildon.

“Mallard fans have another few days to get up close to the record breaker – its last day on display in the Great Hall before it leaves for a month is Tuesday, January 28.”

In 2013 around quarter of a million visitors flocked to the National Railway Museum to mark the 75th anniversary of Mallard’s world record breaking run by attending two Great Gathering events.

The National Railway Museum’s Mallard 75 Great Goodbye is in Shildon from February 15 to 23.

The big six will be displayed outside on real tracks with Sir Nigel Gresley, Bittern and Union of South Africa in light steam.